'NCIS' review (Xbox 360)

NCIS, or Naval Criminal Investigative Service, has been hugely successful in the US, drawing massive ratings over nearly 200 episodes with well constructed mysteries and strong character dynamics. NCIS devotees can now become their favorite characters - special agent Gibbs, chief medical examiner Dr "Ducky" Mallard and forensic technician Abby Sciuto - to solve a range of cases involving murder, robbery and violence. In truth, though, the game is essentially a procession of mini-games that are threaded rather limply through a series of episodes. The gameplay and structure proves remarkably basic, particularly in the wake of LA Noire. Committed NCIS fans will find aspects of the game to love, but for everyone else there is better crime-solving fun to be had elsewhere.

The structure of NCIS is the same as a TV series - the game's four episodes each feature a new crime involving some kind of connection to naval personnel. The episodes start with a cut scene outlining the set up to the crime before the NCIS team are brought in to investigate the scene and put together the pieces. The gameplay takes its cues from point-and-click adventures, but lacks any of the complexity and intelligence of the classic titles in the genre. It feels like an early Wii game, in that you move the characters between obvious points of interaction and then conduct a series of button-prompts. Other sequences involve lifting finger prints, photographing dead bodies and even tracking fleeing suspects via satellite - but rarely does any of this feel truly satisfying.

NCIS's interactive elements seem more akin to a children's game, but the violent content and frequent murders are only really suitable for adults. The investigation team scours crime scenes for guns, bullets and bodies, which are all clearly marked in case you miss them. These clues are then combined on the Deduction Board, throwing up simple four multiple choice options (it is generally obvious which one is right). From the opening case in an Atlantic City casino through a bank heist and to the rather disappointing climax on a skyscraper, NCIS lacks the tight mysteries and heart-pounding conclusions of its TV show inspiration.

Another nagging issue with NCIS is that the game assumes strong knowledge of the series from its players, relying on them to understand the individual nuances of each character dynamic. This abundance of in-jokes and references will delight the fans, but anyone else will be left bemused by agent Gibbs's constant disappearing acts, or that re-tries are represented by "Caf-Pow" (a fictional caffeine drink favored by Abby that comes in a cartoony oversized cup, in case you were wondering). Strip away this insider knowledge and the game's limitations scream out. Most of the interesting stuff just happens in the cut scenes, relegating the player to a button-pressing drone when called upon.

The problems with NCIS the game are made all the more obvious when drawing comparison with LA Noire. The detection and interrogation systems in Rockstar's excellent title are simply a world away from Ubisoft's limp tie-in. The interview sequences in NCIS just require pushing a button before a time meter runs out rather than the truth/doubt/lie options of LA Noire, which are backed up by reading the facial and body clues of the suspect. The NCIS system does introduce more complex options for pushing the agenda with final suspects by using pieces of evidence to disprove their claims, but even this just becomes a sequence of allocating obvious options.

Overall, NCIS feels like another procedural tie-in, attaching a well known property - this time a hit US TV show - to a procession of rather dreary mini-games that becomes a long advert for the show. There is even a prompt to watch the "Buy the Season Eight DVD Trailer" in the main menu, which probably tells you all you need to know about the game. With titles such as Heavy Rain available, introducing sophisticated elements of detection and interrogation to video games, NCIS seems way behind the times. If you are a diehard fan of the show then this game will hold some positives, but otherwise this is not a case worth taking on.